KOCHI: What next? That was a question many students from economically backward families or those lacking job-specific skills faced.
High fees would make additional courses in private institutions near impossible to take. But the stars of good fortune are now shining bright for such students.
Enter STARS (Strengthening Teaching-Learning and Results for States).
Under the central scheme, Kerala has launched an initiative that will see the setting up of 210 Skill Development Centres (SDC) in the state. These centres will become functional in the second week of May. Another plus is the placement facilities available.
Rajalakshmi D, who passed Class 10, is a beneficiary of the STARS Skill Development Course.
“For students like me, who come from financially weak families, centres like SDC offering free courses that equip you with specific skills making you employable is a blessing,” Rajalakshmi tells TNIE. She is one of around 700 students in the pilot batch to benefit from tailor-made courses started in 2024.
“I joined the fitness trainer course at the SDC at GVHSS, Kunjathur, in Kasaragod district. The training, theoretical and on-the-job, there made me employable. And the result is there for everyone to see. I got placed with a top fitness centre in Kanhangad,” Rajalakshmi says.
The programme is being implemented by the general education department in association with the Samagra Shiksha Kerala (SSK) to equip students up to the higher secondary level with skills that will enable them to get employed in fields they have an aptitude for.
Elaborating on the initiative, an SSK official says, “In the pilot phase, one centre each was launched in all 14 districts of the state. Each centre had a batch of 50 students. Forty percent of the 700 students have been placed in various sectors.”
Following up on the success of the pilot initiative, the state government decided to expand the project.
“The centres offer 29 courses, including plant tissue culture, GST assistant, assistant robotics technician, drone service technician, electric vehicle service technician, hydroponics, and AI devices installation or operator. All courses have been tailor-made to suit the demands of the job market. Anybody between the ages of 15 and 23 who has passed Class 10 can apply for the courses,” the official said.
Another beneficiary of the STARS SDC project is Sreejith A, a diploma holder in electronic engineering.
“I did two diploma courses after completing Plus Two. After learning about the SDC courses, I decided to do the electric vehicle service technician course. As soon as I finished it, I got a job offer from OLA. I found the teaching style, and even the courses at the centre, very professional,” he says.